Camping! How do I eat?

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iLikeShinyThings
iLikeShinyThings Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've only been using MFP and eating healthy for a few months. I have a camping trip coming up, and while I'm very excited about it, I'm nervous about the food. How do I continue to eat healthy and measure things when camping?

I usually cook easy things when camping, burgers, hot dogs, chips, grilled cheese, etc. All of these are pretty much off my diet plan lately. I know I can do eggs healthy for breakfast, but what else? yikes! It's probably going to be cold so warm is probably preferred.

Thanks!
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Replies

  • JO4IT
    JO4IT Posts: 79 Member
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    Try "hobo" meals where you make a packet out of tin foil and add the food to the inside and cook it either on charcoal or on the coals of a campfire. Pieces of cut up chicken with green pepper, onion, spices, and some veggies (i use canned carrots and potatoes) can be very satisfying done that way. Sometimes a spoonful of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup keeps it a bit moister, but you don't have to add that.
  • JenniferNoll
    JenniferNoll Posts: 367 Member
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    When I camp, I bring a small grill. I grill all my meals except for breakfast. Chicken, sirloin, any lean meat is good on the grill. I make foil packets and put them on the grill for my vegetables. Of course, fruit is good.
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
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    You can take apples, bananas, wholewheat bagels, peanut butter.....

    You could corn on the cob, veggies....
  • LadyPakal
    LadyPakal Posts: 256 Member
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    Camping stew in a pot with a lid - boil some potatoes (chop into chunks) and carrots (chunk to same size as potatoes) then empty the water, add contents of tin of meat chunks in gravy. Stir and heat until hot through. If you weigh out the potatoes before you go, you'll have the values for that and the tin of meat will have calories etc on it. Make it for lunch and it will keep until your evening meal as well.
  • graciesmomma0209
    graciesmomma0209 Posts: 36 Member
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    Try "hobo" meals where you make a packet out of tin foil and add the food to the inside and cook it either on charcoal or on the coals of a campfire. Pieces of cut up chicken with green pepper, onion, spices, and some veggies (i use canned carrots and potatoes) can be very satisfying done that way. Sometimes a spoonful of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup keeps it a bit moister, but you don't have to add that.


    Was going to say the same thing. I LOVE these things.
  • shaynak112
    shaynak112 Posts: 751 Member
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    Lots of fruits and veggies. You can eat those raw, so they don't require any preparation and whatnot. Good deal :)
    Bring some nuts - almonds, peanuts, etc. (non salted and all that)
    When we go camping, we usually bring veggie burgers and cook those. Yeah, it's higher calorie, but we account for it.
    Also - popcorn! I mean, don't use butter and all that, bring some low calorie toppings if you'd like, sooo good!
    Hummus on bread is an option for a meal.
    Spiced chickpeas that you can make at home and just snack on - yum! (I like to bake them with lemon juice and other spices.)

    How long are you going camping for?
  • Buckeye_Fittie
    Buckeye_Fittie Posts: 64
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    Pack plenty of fruit to take with you. The fiber will help fill you up and keep you full. Green apples, bananas, oranges, etc. are all non-perishable.
  • SprinkledWithEmotion
    SprinkledWithEmotion Posts: 67 Member
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    We only have coolers when we go so it makes things a bit more difficult since we go for about a week. We had one cooler for meat and one for dairy and veggies. For breakfast we do, cereal with milk, oatmeal, toast and eggs with fruit. I pick fruits I don't need to keep cold. So things like apples, oranges, bananas, peaches, etc. Lunch, we do, canned soups, chili, sometimes a PB sandwich with fruits and veg. We always take trail mix and granola bars for when we go hiking. Dinner we grill a protein and make a big salad, sometimes make potatoes as well. Enjoy!
  • skiersteve12345
    skiersteve12345 Posts: 89 Member
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    go cave man and eat what you kill lol
  • dizzimamma
    dizzimamma Posts: 81
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    U can still eat burgers, just lighten them up! This is how i eat them at least once a week! 3 oz 90/10 lean ground beef, whole wheat toetilla, spinach, light mayo, katsup and mustard, onions, tomato and 1 oz chedder cheese comes to about 350 cals. Make it even skinner with laughing cow cheese, not chedder. Yummy just like a real burger.
  • matt2442
    matt2442 Posts: 1,259 Member
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    Try and have a good time, first of all. one burger or hot dog won't kill you.

    try to get some fruits such as bananas, apples, oranges, grapes.

    bring some nuts, whole wheat bread, crackers, bagels.

    You can even grill up some veggies and put some olive oil or something on them for flavour.
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
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    You've gotten some good ideas already. We're so active when camping because we're either cycling or hiking or doing a bunch of other active stuff that I don't sweat what I eat. Just watch portions. Have fun!
  • candirose69
    candirose69 Posts: 149
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    just have a fun holiday and get back on the horse when you return....i have strict rule of not over thinking things when im meant ot be relaxing :)
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    just have a fun holiday and get back on the horse when you return....i have strict rule of not over thinking things when im meant ot be relaxing :)

    This. Don't throw caution to the wind and eat A while packet of hot dogs, but definitely enjoy yourself.

    Bring fruits as snacks, and some veggies to cook over the grill.

    Man, i miss camping.
  • xampx
    xampx Posts: 323 Member
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    I would be inclined to eat what I want for the week or however long you are going. I dont know about you, but when I go camping it involves a LOT of walking, hiking, wandering, general calorie burning, so its unlikely that you will put on a ton of weight. Just prepare things as healthily as you can, eat lots of fruit and veg and don't worry about it too much

    Its a holiday, enjoy yourself, take a break from your usual daily life (including calorie counting) and get back to it when you get back.
  • jadelucywatson1
    jadelucywatson1 Posts: 32 Member
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    Soup, soup, soup!! It's warm and lovely and healthy. Maybe go ahead and eat a burger with everyone else but don't have a bun and have a salad with it. Although when we go camping we tend to spend about 4/5 hours a day walking with the dogs so any camping food calories are well and truly burnt off. Enjoy your trip :)
  • HelenDootson
    HelenDootson Posts: 443 Member
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    I take type of porridge pots that you just add boiling water too and fruit for breakfast (they come in lots of flavours and are warming!), Salads fro lunch and whatever the heck I want for dinner, coz after hiking, kayaking, swimming, cycling, bodysurfing etc - You have the calorie room to enjoy a good camp dinner and BEER!!
    Most of all Enjoy your break and worry about it when you get home!
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
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    Tin of beans?

    as long as you have some bricks and a barbecue grillplate (or whatever, you could rob one from a kitchen), you can prop a saucepan over the fire, so the world is your oyster. Can you buy veggies when you are there or is it more of a 'wilderness' location?

    You could go catch some fish and eat those too....
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
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    eggs are easy to cook camping out low cals and versitile too x :blushing:
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Honestly...I would just enjoy the weekend and be sensible about eating, i.e. not as much as you would have prior but don't change the meal plans. Enjoy the camping trip and then just pick back up where you left off.

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